One of the most difficult parts about doing solo shows is that it can be lonely.
In conventional stage plays there are usually cast members you can bounce energy off of while on stage, back stage, and off stage. There are cast parties and friendships are made, and it can be a pretty great time. If the show does well, you celebrate. If it doesn’t, well, at least you are all in it together. You can share the fame and the blame. Everybody carries the load.,
In conventional stage plays, depending on the budget, there is also a technical crew to help with the lights, sound, and costumes. And you even have a director and possibly your show is at a theater that has a mailing list and helps with promotion. And as an actor, you only have to focus on acting.
But in a one person show- you gotta do almost everything. You wear many hats. You write, perform, do your own makeup, costumes, etc., I even learned how to edit sound cues and upload them for the sound person. And if you want a director, you gotta pay $$ for them. You are your own executive producer.
But out of all those things we have to juggle, the hardest part for me is the promotion. How many times can you send emails, post on social media, and bug your friends to come see your show? And if you are performing out of town, it’s even more of a challenge because, well, why would complete strangers come see you perform?
Today I posted again on Instagram about my show tomorrow night and their sneaky algorithm saw that I don’t get many “likes” or views on my posts -so I get these direct messages asking if I want to “buy followers”. BUY FOLLOWERS. That’s like paying for “fans”. I know P.R. is a business, but geesh.
All that to say…
Come see perform a short excerpt of my solo show “Born Again in Berkeley,” tomorrow night in SF, live and in person, or on Zoom! There are two performers total (20 min each) and I go on first at 7pm, so don’t be late!
Monday Night Marsh
Mondays, October 4th and 18th
SF Marsh Theater – 1062 Valencia Street, San Francisco
Doors at 6:30pm, Show at 7:00pm
Sliding Scale starting at $10 for in-person tickets- click here to purchase tickets or you can buy them at the door (credit cards only).
In-Person Peeps: You will have to show ID and proof of vaccination, and wear a mask while inside the building.
Zoom Peeps: You can click on the Zoom box here, on the evening of the performance – virtual doors at 6:30pm, show starts at 7:00pm-show is free of charge.
“Theresa has a secret. In the Bay Area where people are flinging open their closet doors, she’s not sure she’ll be accepted. Help Theresa come out…….as a Christian.”
Theresa Donahoe 